Mail-exchange device



1.-. E. GLASS. Y MML EXCHANGE DEVICE.

Patented May 30, 1922a 2 sHEUssHEE T 1.

IH/gulden MM,

l. E. GLASS. `WIML EXCHANGEv DEVICE. APPLlcATlon FILED No'v. 2s. |920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 30,1922.-

stares rarest rrter..l

Jenn E. stese, or Manton, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-EXCHANGE DEVICE.

Leraars.' y Original application led February To @ZZ whom fit may concern:

Be it known thatl I, JOHN E. GLASS, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Marion, in the county ot' Crittenden and State oi' Kentuckyghave invented a new an useful Mail-Exchange Device, of which the following is a speciiication.

T his invention is a device oi the type employed 'for transferring mail sacks andthe like to and `from moving railway cars or trains. y

One object ot the invention is to provide a device of simple construction by means of which inail mattei' may be safely transferred to or from a moving car, and accurate cof operation of the train and station device assured. A 'further object is to provide a siniple station device capable oi receiving mail matter from and delivering other mail matter to a moving car without danger of injuring persons in the vicinity. A further object is to provide a station device capable of protecting the mail matter from the weather while it is in position to be taken up by the train device.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set 'forth and particularly pointed outv in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawing Figure 1y is a topplan view illustrating' the invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view oit the train device. Figure 3 is a View ot the device from the inside of the car. Figure l is a longitudinal section illustrating the station device.

Referring to the drawing, 1() designates a railway track and 11 uprights stationed contiguous to the track, and connected by a cross-piece 12. Hinged to one of the uprights 11, is a supporting` panel 13, provided with a latch lll, positioned to engage a suitable keeper on the other upright 11. Supported by the panel 13' is a box-like receptacle 15, divided into two compartments 16, 17 by a partition wall 18. The top and bottom walls of the compartmentsv are slotted longitudinally as indicated at 19, the slots being flared at the extremities ot the receptacle, as shown.

Supported by the panel 13, so as to overhang the receptaclel 15, is an upper carrier plate 20, which extends longitudinally of the receptacle and is slotted at the ends as indicated at 21, the slotted portions registering with the slots 19 in the top wall of lthe re- Specification of Letters Patent.

4, i919, serial No.' 274,947. veinber 26, 1920. Serial No. 426,423.

- device into position.

vPatented May 30, 1922.

Divided and this application filed Noceptacle. A similar lowercarrier plate 22 .issupported beneath the receptacle, and has slots which register with the slots 19 in the bottom wall of the receptacle. To protect 'the receptacle and its contents from the weather as much as possible, the panel 13 is provided with a roof or cover 24, which overhangs the receptacle,

The car device is mounted upon a suitable car 25 o'f any preferred structure, and comprises a vertical body-26, providedat its ends with angularly disposed parallel arms 27, having keepers 28 at their extremities, said keepers being slotted longitudinally as indicated at 29. vThe body 26 is suitably braced and attached to a rod-like supporting portion 30, having'its ends shaped to engage .upper and lower keepers 31 and 32, whereby the train device may swing in and out of the car. The upper keeper 31 is piv-v oted to the door trame, so that it may be moved to permit of the placing of the train There is a set of upper and lower keepers ,31,l 32 yon each side of the car door, so that the body 26, may be selectively'y placed in engagement with either yset, to conformto the direction o'f travel of the car. f

y ln practice, the mail sack o is to be delivered from the car to the station, and the mail sack o to be taken up by the car, without interfering with the movement of the latter. rThe sacks are provided with lflexible members 33, capable of engaging the slots 29 of the keepers 28, and the slots 21 and 23 oi the carrier plates. The sack o which is to be delivered, is engaged with those slots 29 oi the keepers 28, which are at the rearmost point with respect to the direction or' travel of the car. In the illustration selected for the drawing, the sack fo is to be delivered into the compartment 16 and the sack bis supported by the carrier plates 21, 22, with the flexible members 33, passed through the slots 19, and engaging the slots of the carrier plates. As the car approaches the receptacle 15,the train device is swung outwardly until the slots 29 register with the slots 19. As the train travels, the movement ofthe sack will be arrested by the partition wall 18, the arms 27 passing above and below the receptacle respectively. As the car continues in its travel the forwardly disposed slots 29 of the keepers 28 engage the iiexible members 33 of the sack b with sulicient force to wedge said liexi- `nients being slotted, and external means for ble members into the slots, therefore holding supporting a, mail sack in said delivery comthe sack with su'tiicient tenacity to enable it partinent. i to be swung back into the car. Should it be 4C. A mail transfer ydevice comprising a desired to effect the operation with a car receptacle having receiving and delivery traveling: in the opposite direction, the train compartments, the top and bottom Walls of device 26 is transferred to the other side of said compartments being slotted, and upper the door. l and lower carrier platesA provided With This case is a division of an application means for supporting a `mail sack within 10 filed February 1l, 1919, Serial Number said delivery chamber. n

274,947. 5. A mail transfer device comprising; a Having thus explained the nature of the receptacle having receiving md delivery invention. and described an operative mancompartments, the top and bottom Walls of :ner of constructing and using the Same, alsaid compartments being slotted, upper and ll5 lOUgll, WllOllU attempting; to set forth lll lower carrier plates attached to said panel of the forms in which it may be made, 0r ali and provided with slots in register with the 55 ofthe forms of its use, .what is claimed is slots of said compartments.

l. A mail transfer device of the character 6. A mail transferdevice comprising a described comprising supporting means, receptacle having` receiving and delivery 2O lGCGlDtaCl@ mounted thereon and having l'ecompartments, the topand bottom Walls of ceiving' and delivery compartments, the top said compartments being slotted, exteriorly 60 and bottomivalls of said compartments belocated means for supporting a mail sack ing slotted, and means independent of the while located Within said receptacle, and a Areceptacle for supporting; a mai sackl Within roof or cover overhanging said receptacle said delivery compartment. v and said saclesupporting means.

2. mail tltllSfe ClGVlCQ 0f lie CllZLIaCtGl 7, A Inail transfer device Coinplising a, 65 described comprising supporting means, a supporting frame, a panel hinged. thereto, receptacle mounted thereon and having rea receptacle supported by said panel and ceiving and delivery compartments, the top having,` receiving and delivery compa-l'tv3o and bottom walls of said compartments bements, the top and bottom Walls of said comv ing slotted, and mail-sack-supporting means partments being slotted, external means for independent of the receptaclev and in register supporting a mail sack in said delivery comwith the slots in the top and bottom Walls of partment, and a roof secured to said panel the delivery compartment.4 and overhanging the receptacle and said 3. A mail transfer device comprising a. sack-supporting means. supporting frame, a panel hinged thereto, a In testimony whereof Ij have hereunto set 75," receptacle supported by said panel and havmy hand. y ing receiving and delivery compartments, the top and vbottom Walls of said compart- JOHN E. GLASS. 

